Fine finish for Shaikh Nasser

Manama : Bahrain Royal Endurance Team Captain HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, representative of His Majesty the King for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of Bahrain Olympic Committee, came third in the World Endurance Championships in Samorin, clocking a time of seven hours 40 minutes and 49 seconds.

This was Shaikh Nasser’s best performance at international level, as he finished top amongst the Arab competitors.

First and second places went to Spaniards Jaume Punti (7:38:47) and Alex Luque ( 07:38:51), which saw more than 140 international riders of both genders from 46 countries in the fray.

HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa gifted Shaikh Nasser a Bahraini sword as a token of appreciation for his achievement. On his part, Shaikh Nasser expressed his pride over the presence of HM King at the race and the follow-up of HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the First Deputy President of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sport, the President of Bahrain Athletics Association.

Shaikh Nasser thanked HM the King for his support and stated that his presence during the race impacted the performance of the Bahrain Royal Endurance Team
riders.

Shaikh Nasser added that two years of planning were involved in designing strategic plans for the horses and then choosing the best from them to participate in events. He pointed out the huge efforts put in by the team’s jockeys and technical staff to achieve top places against the world’s elite riders.

“Bahrain Royal Endurance Team will continue achieving great results in international events, thanks to the support of HM King Hamad and we are optimistic for the future of this sport in our beloved country,” said Shaikh Nasser.

Shaikh Nasser also praised the UAE riders led by Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, who took part in the event in the presence of Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Ruler of Dubai.

He added that competing with the UAE riders in the top places until the last stage of the race confirms the great performances showcased by them.